Together, SCRLA Members Can Help Stamp Out Human Trafficking

The real heroes in the war against human trafficking are often people doing everyday jobs who notice when something is unusual. Human traffickers will often use well-known and reputable hotels as the site of their crimes to profit from exploiting vulnerable people. But diligent hospitality employees who have been well-trained on the issue of human trafficking are able to spot a potential trafficking situation when they know the warning signs to look for. To truly eradicate human trafficking, it is essential that the hospitality industry recognize our central role in not only responding to human trafficking, but preventing it in the first place.

The best way to prevent human trafficking is with staff training and education. The South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association recently re-introduced a partnership with Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) to address the issue of human trafficking by offering members a free employee training on how to recognize and report suspected human trafficking activity in hotels.

SCRLA members can train employees by administering BEST’s Inhospitable to Human Trafficking training, which is available in both English and Spanish, and includes engaging videos to teach hospitality employees the warning signs of potential human trafficking activity and explains what they can do if they suspect potential trafficking.

Employees will hear from hospitality professionals, as well as human trafficking survivors, in BEST’s videosimulated training to help hotel staff understand that human trafficking is not a victimless crime. It can result in severe abuse, trauma and violence. When human trafficking happens on hotel properties, not only can the situation be dangerous for victims of human trafficking, but it can also impact other guests’ assessment of the safety of the hotel and damage brand reputation. Training hotel employees in human trafficking awareness will have a major impact on our ability to help more victims of this crime get the help they need, as well as keeping hotels safe for all guests.

Survey research has shown that before receiving training, only 8% of trainees recognized a trafficking incident within the prior year. After taking BEST’s training, that number jumped to 44% of trainees identifying victims.

To access BEST's Inhospitable to Human Trafficking training, please visit SCRLA.org/best_partnership.

Training objectives include:

• Provide an overview of sex trafficking and labor trafficking and their impact on the hotel industry

• Discuss common indicators of human trafficking and case examples

• Give action steps for how to respond to and prevent human trafficking

• Discuss key takeaways and provide additional resources, including modules to address real scenarios or receive more in-depth training

Everyone who completes the training will receive a certificate. This certificate may satisfy state and/or local training requirements. It is the responsibility of hotels and restaurants to verify whether the training meets any such requirements.